But The Union Is Not Necessarily Thrilled With The Results

Pinnacle Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) have ratified a six-year agreement that the AFA says "preserves wages, protects affordable health care and provides job security for over 1,500 flight attendants." The agreement includes $6.4 million in concessions demanded by management through the Chapter 11 restructuring process. The agreement was reached with the assistance of the National Mediation Board.

"Ratifying the Tentative Agreement does not mean we like it. Ratifying the agreement means we understand the value of preserving an enforceable contract, hourly wage rates, affordable health care and job protections. We worked with our professionals to minimize the impact and write key protections into the contract – and within onerous conditions we were successful. Still, the deck is stacked against the frontline workers who make Pinnacle fly. The Bankruptcy Section 1113 process for workers essentially means having to pick your poison," stated Terry French, AFA President at Pinnacle Airlines.

"Flight attendants are doing our part to solve a problem we didn't create. And, we will continue our professional work as first responders as we promote a positive future at Pinnacle. We expect Pinnacle management to do their part through their own sacrifices and putting in place a successful plan for the future of our airline," French said.

"We greatly appreciate the constructive efforts of the AFA leadership throughout this process and are pleased that our flight attendants voted in favor of the new agreement," said John Spanjers, Pinnacle Airlines Corp.'s president and chief executive officer. "The ratification of the new CBA represents positive progress for Pinnacle and a major step forward in positioning the Company to emerge from our restructuring with a cost structure necessary to compete in the regional airline marketplace. We appreciate the willingness of the AFA and its members to work together with Pinnacle for the benefit of the entire company and all of our employees."

The agreement was ratified by 71 percent of flight attendants voting. The agreement will only take effect once concessions are put in place for all work groups either through agreement or court authority. Pinnacle Airlines, a Delta Connection carrier, filed for bankruptcy in April.

FMI: www.afacwa.org